S.C., Mich., last stand for GOP candidates

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CHARLESTON, S.C. — Yesterday became line-in-the-sand day for Republicans, with Mitt Romney declaring that he is making his stand in next week's Michigan primary and Fred Thompson saying South Carolina's Jan. 19 primary is his do-or-die state.

Standing in their way is Sen. John McCain, who is feeling momentum from his Tuesday win in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary and hopes to narrow the field by winning both states.

"This election here in South Carolina will play a major, major role," the Arizona Republican told supporters at a rally at The Citadel in Charleston last night.

The two states present an interesting challenge for Mr. McCain — he lost South Carolina to Gov. George W. Bush in 2000, before rebounding to victory in Michigan and then running out of resources to compete in the later contests. This year, the calendar is reversed. Michigan goes first, followed four days later by South Carolina.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a McCain supporter, said voters in his state who earlier had tilted to former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani are coming back to Mr. McCain. Mr. McCain's win in New Hampshire, he said, will only accelerate that shift because it answered the question of the Arizona senator's viability, which had troubled South Carolina voters.

"The questions was 'Has his time passed?" " Mr. Graham said. "After New Hampshire, our phones were ringing off the hook."

Mr. McCain visited Michigan and South Carolina yesterday in a whirlwind tour before tonight's Republican debate, to be held in Myrtle Beach. That debate offers the final chance for Mr. Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee, and Mr. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, to try to gain needed attention.

Mr. Thompson's campaign manager sent out an e-mail proclaiming their campaign "all-in" in South Carolina, and Mr. Thompson told reporters after a stop in Florence that he needs to be at the top here.

"I'm making my stand here," he said, calling South Carolina the "gateway" state for the rest of the primary season.

Mr. Romney has pulled his advertising out of South Carolina to focus solely on Michigan, a state where his father was governor for six years and he himself grew up.